SCOBA Hierarchs issue statement for International Day of Peace

Throughout the world, Orthodox Christians pray daily for peace. These prayers are at the heart of Orthodox worship.

The Great Litany - sometimes called the “Litany of Peace” - is insistent on the centrality of peace. “In peace, let us pray to the Lord” - “For the peace from above and for the salvation of our souls, let us pray to the Lord” - “For the peace of the whole world, for the welfare of the holy churches of God, and for the union for all, let us pray to the Lord.”

Prayer is never an isolated action or orientation. As we pray, so we believe. As we pray, so we act. Orthodox Christians seek peace and pursue it - in prayer, in faith and in action.

This is why we, the hierarchs of the Standing Conference of the Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the Americas give our support to the International Day of Peace instituted by the General Assembly of the United Nations in 2001 to be commemorated each year on September 21. We encourage Orthodox Christians to observe this day, and call upon all our faithful, in the days ahead, to orient their prayers and actions towards peace and reconciliation.

+Archbishop DEMETRIOS, Chairman
Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America

+Metropolitan HERMAN
Orthodox Church in America

+Metropolitan PHILIP, Vice Chairman
Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America

+Metropolitan CHRISTOPHER
Serbian Orthodox Church in the USA and Canada

+Metropolitan NICHOLAS
American Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Diocese in the USA

+Metropolitan JOSEPH
Bulgarian Eastern Orthodox Church

+Archbishop NICOLAE
Romanian Orthodox Archdiocese in America and Canada

+Metropolitan CONSTANTINE
Ukrainian Orthodox Church in the USA

+Bishop ILIA
Albanian Orthodox Diocese of America and Canada